1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to compounds effective to treat inflammatory disease. More particularly, it relates to benzimidazole compounds and their preparation and use in treating inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis.
2. Brief Description of Background
Treatment of inflammatory disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis has generally been approached in two ways, disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Although some DMARDs have been able to slow the progression of such diseases, they have also demonstrated unacceptable toxicity and other limitations. As such, aspirin and NSAIDs continue to be the mainstay in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. Background on the drug therapy of inflammation is provided in Goodman and Gilman (Eds.), The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 6th Edition, MacMillan Publishing Co., N.Y. 1980.
Exemplary of compounds which have been suggested as useful in the treatment of inflammatory diseases are the imidazoles disclosed in Cherofsky, U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,666 and the benzopyranoimidazoles disclosed in Finizio, U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,954 and the references cited therein.
Although the above identify contributions which have been made in the field, the search continues for new therapeutic agents which can reduce the suffering and/or limit the disease progression in patients with inflammatory disease.